Ethiopians hold grand Meskel festivities amid ongoing Tigray fighting

Ethiopia marked the Meskel holiday, honoring the Roman empress Helena's finding of the True Cross, with vibrant public gatherings and bonfires that signal the end of the rainy season. UNESCO lists the event as intangible cultural heritage, and hundreds of thousands returned to their home regions for the celebrations. In the capital, thousands assembled in Meskel Square to pray and light a giant fire, while in Welkite, displaced families and visitors gathered despite travel disruptions caused by clashes between government forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front.

The conflict, now affecting Amhara and Afar, has sparked fears of Eritrean proxy involvement. Kibrom Yohannes, who traveled from Denmark, was forced to change plans and joined the southern festivities, worrying about his elderly mother in Tigray. Local voices, including deacon Fikreab Lebeza and merchant Sara Dinkayehu, called for peace during the holy observances.